Barcelona

Life doesn’t get easier to deal with, but impulse trips help mitigate the bullshit. On a recent spiral of “what am I doing with my life” I decided to book stays in Spain and get out of my head and in a European’s bed (I’m talking about the hostels nasty). 

I went with the hostel route because I’ve never truly had the hostel experience and European hostels are cheappp (compared to the US). So I booked my coed room of 14 people and a week and much lack of sleep later, I was on my 14 hour journey over. 

Arriving for check in 5 hours and one sweaty backpack after landing, I was surprised at how different the vibe was as compared to hostels I stayed at within the US. You could instantly tell this hostel was serious about forming connections. At 8pm, free family dinners (with vegetarian options). At 10pm, the group leaves for the bar. Come midnight, we leave as a group to the club with FREE ENTRANCE. I would say for $20 a night, that’s a deal. This experience allowed me to connect with new people and feel safe to go out while traveling alone.

As we all walked down the compact alleys dodging buckets of mop water from balconies, ready to face a weeklong hangover, we knew we would have regretted staying in.

ATTENCION PICKPOCKETTTT

I had been warned about pickpockets in Barcelona, but didn’t realize the extent of it. The first night of going out with my hostel, a girl got her phone stolen out of her crossbody case. Yes, literally picked out of her case. We stopped the train to look for who could have taken it, but they were too fast. 

The second night, a group of 4 went skinny dipping on the beach outside of the club. They left their belongings on the shore looking away for a minute. When they looked back, everything was gone (except their clothes, that would’ve been rude). They thought they were alone at that part of the beach, but someone had seen their vulnerable state and stalked them to the ocean. 

I would say if you plan on going to Barcelona, do not let your guard down for a second. That is when you’ll become the target. These thieves are fast and they know when you’ll become easy. So don’t become easy. Basically, just keep an eye on your shit.

But honestly as we tell our crying friends dealing with their fifth situationship of the month, “if they wanted to, they would.” 

It’s so easy to get caught up in moments of experiencing life while traveling, but that’s when shit can start getting too real. So experience, but dream with your eyes open.

Ibiza

I’m going to be completely honest here. The real reason I went to Ibiza was because Bad Bunny had mentioned it in a song. @Bad Bunny where’s the next destination I’m going?

Two hours before I left for the airport, I was hammered at the club. 5/10 recommend because that resulted in me falling asleep on a populated beach with all of my belongings. One would think I knew better after Barcelona.

I came to Ibiza during the off season for partying (literally right after the clubs had their closing parties) so I was more focused on exploring the area and what it had to offer besides its highs. Topping my list was not so crowded beaches.

Solo Paranoia

As my first trip alone since Thanksgiving of last year, I was definitely more cautious than I’m known to be. I found a beach that required a 40 minute walk after the bus and decided to give it a go. As I came off the bus, I saw maps leading me to a trail in the woods. I made the move to keep going because I was still around civilization in case anything were to happen. I got to a point where it was just me and this male biker on this trail and the houses were few and far between. The man goes, “wow it’s quiet out here.”

Now, I know he was not trying to come off as creepy. Maybe he was in fact trying the exact opposite so I wouldn’t be alarmed by him. Either way, definitely not what I needed to hear on this trek alone. I spent the next 15 minutes in my head thinking about his comment until the path became less apparent and there were broken down sheds ahead of me. By this time I only had about 7 minutes left of my walk, but something was telling me to turn back. Whether or not I would’ve actually been safe, paranoia and the unsettled feeling in my stomach was growing. 

I turned back around and was kicking myself the entire way. I felt useless, scared, weak. Something I could’ve easily overcome months ago just seemed so difficult to do now.

So I wrote in my notes, “To solo travel means to be patient with yourself.” 

Trusting and Planning

The reality was that I was alone and were something to have happened on that beach, I was too far away from civilization to get help. I will always be hard on myself, but I will also always trust my gut. A huge part of solo traveling is trusting yourself. Your judgment, your steps, your vision… you stand by it one hundred percent of the time. As defeated as I felt on my walk of shame back, I found a nice beach along the way home and made plans for a more organized beach adventure in the morning. 

Things aren’t always going to go according to what you imagine, but that’s when the real adventure begins. That’s when those stories you never forget start making their way to you. 

On day 2 I boarded the hour bus ride to Cala Xarraca (images above). At around 10am the beach was nearly empty, but as the afternoon shone its sexy light upon us so did the people flocking with their boobs out (peer pressure almost made me do it too). The beaches stayed packed, but full of people who seemed to call it home.

The beautiful thing about traveling is the more places I go, the more people I see spending quality time with themselves. I’ve been calling it “dating yourself.” Doing everything society thinks should be done in a couple and showing them you can enjoy it just as much alone as you would with someone else.

I used to make fun of myself for going to the most romantic places alone. Where people get engaged is where I’ll walk hand in hand with my bottle of wine.

Madrid

What I love about traveling is being able to see people in their element all over the world. I went to Madrid last minute to see an old friend from high school and couldn’t help but be in awe of the life she had created in Spain. Studying abroad and being immersed in culture, community, and more travels than imaginable. I think it’s a good reminder that if you have the opportunity then do it. No hesitations. This world is massive and the hardest part about traveling is taking that first step. Once you’re in another country, it’s soooo much easier to go and see others. Whether that’s only a weekend or day trip, an experience is still memories at the end of the day.

Life is beautifully short and scarily moldable. It all comes down to doing and not just dreaming. When you take action is when you grow and meet a group of friends from Wales playing card games to escape the rain and repetition of life. Or an esthetician from Belgium who broke up with her boyfriend and is making her travel dreams a reality ticket by ticket.

Forever in love with the spontaneity of travel. We plan out every aspect of our lives, but traveling means you get to be free. No plan.

Just take each day as it comes. You never know whose story you’ll get to hear.

Where I Fell In Love With The Present

There are few places that force me into the present. Greece was one of those places for me. 

When it comes to traveling, I am extremely indecisive. I want to see everything all at once because I feel like if I don’t do it then, I never will. Silly mindset, but when those you grew up with are starting families at your age, it makes you feel like you’re on an unseen clock.

I chose Santorini as my destination for the convenience of the flight as well as the picturesque white buildings meshed with bright blue sea.

What I didn’t expect was the sense of home I would feel upon arrival.

After receiving THE LAST SEAT on the plane, my Airbnb host, Irini, messages an offer to pick me up from the airport. If you’ve traveled ANYWHERE, you know what a huge relief it is to have your transportation from the airport sorted out for you. I accepted her kind offer and was greeted by her and her lovely daughter, Maria, who served as a translator throughout my stay. 

Instant Kindness

Pirgos Kallistis is a small town on the outskirts of Thera and where I resided for the week at Votris House. I was welcomed with open arms and the thoughtfulness of fresh baked Greek pastries. I truly have never experienced anything like this from an Airbnb host.

The instant kindness made the unknown so much more exciting and comforting.

Stumbling Around Thera

I took the bus into the city of Thera and found it to be just as crowded as you could imagine a summer in Greece would be. Regardless of the crowd, the city gave off small town vibes with views that looked straight out of a romance movie. I parked myself at a restaurant where the waiter gave me a city to-do list and free refills of wine.

I walked around Thera drunk off my ass while trying to pretend I was admiring the small alleys of the city. In reality, I was just lost. 

I, quite literally, stumbled across a viewpoint that forced me back into reality as I questioned how a place as beautiful as this exists and how many more places like this were out there.

I felt at peace, knowing that I could discover all the beautiful simplicities of the world.

Friendly Transit Experience

Catching the bus from Thera was an adventure of its own. Luckily, bus schedules were taped up and the drivers told all the stops they were making so you got on the right one. The Express buses were more expensive, so I opted for waiting for the longer/more scenic routes.

I just so happened to board the bus at the same time daily with this elderly Greek woman who later became an unspoken friend. We tried sharing bits of our lives through google translate, smiles, and polite nods when a phrase so obviously did not make sense through the app.

Being Content With Unproductivity

I could lie and say I discovered every single thing the island had to offer. However, I was tired.

The majority of my time was spent on my balcony with cheap wine and sleepy eyes. 

Disclaimer: Free Feet Pics Below

You’re Welcome;)

That is why this trip was so special to me. I spent it having quality time with myself and the people I met while there. On one of my last nights there, I sat with my view of the wine country and company from my host’s young daughter Maria. They made me Greek coffee and dessert as we discussed our hopes for the future and the state of the world. I felt very much a part of this small and genuine family.

Choosing Love Over Glamor

This trip helped me discover just how worldly I had been. If I’m putting all my cards out on the table, I wanted to go to Santorini for the fame probably more than flight convenience. I thought I would look like an influencer going to one of the most popular destinations in Greece. I know, that sentence disgusts me too.

I’ve learned that having that mindset means I am experiencing for other people and not for myself. Experiencing for myself means traveling to a country for the people, not the glamor. It means not building an itinerary around attractions and rather developing connections. I won’t always remember the specifics of my adventures, but I’ll remember how a place felt.

Greece felt like the comfort of your bed after a long night out. Like a phone call with your childhood best friend. It felt slow and uncalculated, a change to how I’ve always made myself live. It showed me a quality of life that I felt guilty for wanting to give into, undeserving of a slow lifestyle because that meant I wasn’t accomplishing anything.

Cleansing American Hustle

In all this, Greece taught me love. It showed me friendships that don’t take years to grow. Connections in free shots from a waiter who thought he made me uncomfortable. A to-do list of activities I never completed. Hand-picked fruit I forgot people have enjoyed since childhood.

This was the first trip I felt the pure exhaustion from the American lifestyle. The 9-5 hustle that would turn 8 hour days into 14. The lack of motivation because getting out of bed was hard enough. 

A Warm Thanks To My Greek Family

I have a lot of thanks to give to my hosts in Greece for the sheer kindness I was shown from before I even arrived. This mindless act restored my desire to be human. 

Not enough times can I express gratitude towards Irini and her family for taking care of me in a way I didn’t know I needed to be cared for. It’s insane how such a short encounter with people can rewire your mindset completely.

I spent my last night in Greece huddled over my phone on google translate, writing a letter in Greek for my dear hosts who had done so much. All the while hoping the way I was drawing out the letters wasn’t translating to something nasty.

Keeping In Touch

Since that trip, I’ve kept in touch with Maria via email as we share new experiences happening in our lives. I hadn’t been able to have a little sister since I left a toxic household at around Maria’s age, so keeping this connection makes me feel like I have a do-over. Like I can be a role model for a girl I see a lot of myself in. An achiever for those moments that bring quality.

Just recently, I have also connected with Irini through Instagram. It’s funny how life finds a way to remind you what you stand for when things start feeling bleak.

A Place That Set New Standards For Life

The world really is one big community no matter your location on the map, native tongue, or interests.

We are all in this world presently despite disassociation. Breathing despite polluted air. Growing despite a desire to be youthful. 

This post isn’t even really about Santorini.

I can’t give in depth tips about the attractions because that’s not what I recommend doing there.

The simplest yet most complex ask is to be present. To be fully immersed in any place you’re in. Communicating with others and being aware that those words are coming from your own mouth. Trying to love yourself in moments you feel unaccomplished.

Loving your impact on people’s lives is more powerful than any amount of money an occupation could give.